as in natural food
US
a piece of food that is meant to be picked up with the fingers and eaten
Waiters offered the guests finger food during the cocktail hour.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of finger food
The Brown Palace is perhaps best known for its tall, delicate atrium, where families with young children dress up for a cup of tea and finger food as a pianist plays softly in the background.
—
Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2025
Patrons can expect finger foods like wings and dips, healthy options including salads and fish, indulgent pastas and a burger program that Gurland is especially excited about.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
There was finger food aplenty circling, with fresh spring rolls and garlic bread to fuel the guests for their performances.
—Penelope Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Located in Nassau’s Sandyport neighborhood, the bar has a 30-page cocktail menu and serves mostly finger foods—think empanadas and jerk chicken bao buns—listed alongside wine pairings.
—Mariette Williams, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for finger food
Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2025
Patrons can expect finger foods like wings and dips, healthy options including salads and fish, indulgent pastas and a burger program that Gurland is especially excited about.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
There was finger food aplenty circling, with fresh spring rolls and garlic bread to fuel the guests for their performances.
—Penelope Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Located in Nassau’s Sandyport neighborhood, the bar has a 30-page cocktail menu and serves mostly finger foods—think empanadas and jerk chicken bao buns—listed alongside wine pairings.
—Mariette Williams, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for finger food
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finger food
Noun
-
Red-fronted macaws, along with many other wildlife species, lose their natural food sources when farmers cut down or burn the forest.—
Brianna Randall,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
As a result, birds may have shifted toward more natural food sources and into green spaces that had previously been heavily trafficked by people.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Inmates were served oatmeal and frozen meals, and employees were told to give them just one blanket, multiple sources said.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Boutique, all-inclusive hotels are opening up across Europe; however, Lindenmeyr recommends booking bed-and-breakfast style hotels or properties with food-inclusive packages, because eating out for every meal can add up quick.—
Erik Buckingham,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Its on-site Emirates hospitality suite replicates the interior of an A380 and serves some of the best cocktails at the tournament.—
Paula Conway,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Expectation and fear make for a horrible cocktail.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For beer, that generally means one to two 12-ounce servings a day for men and one 12-ounce serving a day for women.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
For example, a 3-ounce serving of oysters can provide more than 200% of the Daily Value for zinc.—
Lindsey DeSoto,
Health,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Minute Maid’s frozen juices — including several varieties of orange juice, lemonade and limeade — will be discontinued by April, with inventory available while supplies last, Coca-Cola said.—
Dee-Ann Durbin,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The sprint to build these sprawling facilities, which hold racks of humming servers powered by expensive processors, has touched off an unprecedented level of borrowing, pinched energy supplies and brought developers into conflict with communities worried about rising power and water costs.—
Bloomberg Wire,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Minutes later, some drift toward nearby food stalls, where oil sizzles and hot samosas and syrupy jalebis land on paper plates.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The installation of a steel plate wasn’t mentioned in the invoice.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finger food.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finger%20food. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
